Windows 11 24H2 is now incompatible with USB scanning devices, too

How are so many bugs getting past thousands of beta testers?

by · TechSpot

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Editor's take: Windows 11 24H2 increasingly shows how the Windows Insider program does nothing to improve Windows security and reliability. The number of show-stopper bugs experienced by customers who updated to the latest OS version is staggering. Meanwhile, Microsoft is just saying that they're working on (yet another) fix with no specific release date in sight.

Windows 11 24H2 doesn't work well with cache-less WD SSDs, Ubisoft games, Asus devices, fingerprint sensors, and much more. We can now add USB scanners and devices using the eSCL scan protocol to the troublesome issues. Microsoft recently confirmed the problem through its ever-growing list of known Windows 11 24H2 problems.

Microsoft notes that after installing Windows 11 version 24H2, USB devices supporting eSCL tech may not be discoverable anymore. The eSCL protocol provides support for USB peripherals with no need for specific system drivers. The protocol is the default communication method in MacOS, Linux, and Windows – usually.

Thanks to eSCL, networked scanners can be reliably used over Ethernet, Wi-Fi networks, and USB connections. This new issue is caused by a device becoming unable to switch from eSCL mode to USB mode, thus preventing Windows from matching the most suitable system driver with the connected device.

Windows 11 24H2 incompatibility with the eSCL technology doesn't affect only scanners, as printers, fax machines, modems, and other network devices also use the protocol. Users have been experiencing the eSCL issue since Microsoft rolled out the 24H2 upgrade to all suitable Windows machines on October 1, 2024.

After the upgrade, scanning machines and other eSCL-compatible devices have become useless in enterprise environments, SOHO setups, and end-user machines. Companies have asked Microsoft for a quick fix or a workaround, as the eSCL issue is starting to impact businesses and cause service disruption.

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Microsoft said its developers are working on a resolution but didn't provide a timeline for a patch. The company put a "compatibility hold" on Windows PCs connected to eSCL devices to prevent the 24H2 automatic upgrade. It also asks knowledgeable users to avoid manually installing the new release until the issue has been resolved.

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